Publisher's Synopsis
Castle Rackrent is a novel written by Maria Edgeworth, an Anglo-Irish writer, and published in 1800. It is a satirical novel that tells the story of the Rackrent family, an Irish aristocratic family, through the eyes of their steward, Thady Quirk. The novel is divided into four parts, each focusing on a different generation of the family.The novel is a commentary on the decline of the Irish aristocracy and the changing social and political landscape of Ireland in the late 18th century. The Rackrents are portrayed as a dysfunctional family, with each generation becoming more reckless and irresponsible than the last. Thady Quirk, the narrator, is a loyal servant to the family and provides a unique perspective on their behavior and the impact it has on the people around them.Through the character of Thady Quirk, Edgeworth also explores the relationship between the Irish peasantry and the Anglo-Irish aristocracy. Thady is a representation of the Irish working class, and his loyalty to the Rackrent family is contrasted with their mistreatment of him and his fellow Irishmen.Overall, Castle Rackrent is a witty and insightful novel that provides a unique perspective on Irish society in the late 18th century. It is a classic of Irish literature and remains a popular read today.My lady had a sort of fit, and it was given out she was dead, by mistake; this brought things to a sad crisis for my poor master--one of the three ladies shewed his letters to her brother, and claimed his promises, whilst another did the same. I don't mention names--Sir Kit, in his defence, said he would meet any man who dared question his conduct, and as to the ladies, they must settle it amongst them who was to be his second, and his third, and his fourth, whilst his first was still alive, to his mortification and theirs.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.